Knee Injury Prevention: Lessons Learned From Girls Soccer
Girls are especially prone to knee injuries. James Hubbard, MD, MPH Question. What do adolescent girl athletes and the rest of us have in common? Answer. Knee injuries, of course :). In fact, anyone who gets in a little too much of a hurry or doesn’t watch what they’re doing is susceptible. Add jumping or a quick pivot for whatever reason and your risk increased greatly. A while back, I jumped off a porch with such a jar I thought I’d shaken my teeth out. The reason was I landed without bending my knees and it’s a wonder I didn’t injure one of them. You can be in tiptop shape (unlike me), and have the strongest of legs and still get hurt—just because you land or pivot wrong. Fortunately, there’s been a lot of recent research in knee injury prevention triggered by the growing amount of injuries in girls’ sports. It seems they are particularly prone to ACL tears. The keys are not only strength but balance, and training our brain to make our legs land in the correct position. A little preparation can go a long way to prevent a debilitating injury. […]
